“Much Better Clean”

We were washing down the truck after a long day on the Kawama roads. Fine, misty rain. Instant rinse.

“You sure that’s worth the effort?,” asked a visiting friend. He was joining our faculty for ten days at the college and knew about our rainy-season mud holes. “I’d say you guys are fighting a losing battle!”

But our car-wash team was not to be dissuaded, blasting water on the wheel wells and pushing the soapy sponge into the rims. I assured our friend that you just have to keep on top of the mud. Otherwise, your vehicle changes colour in the course of a week, from white to reddish-brown — a very popular colour these days!

“Besides,” I said, “it’s always nice to start the day clean. The vehicle runs better, you feel better — it’s only right! The deeper the filth, the more frequent the washes! It’s like sanctification!”